Disease directory
Subungual exostosis
Published: September 18, 2026Updated: September 18, 2026
Important: Informational content intended for healthcare professionals. It does not replace clinical evaluation or establish a doctor-patient relationship.
Overview
- Definition
- A benign bony (osteocartilaginous) tumor that arises as an outgrowth of the distal phalanx and develops under or adjacent to the nail bed, typically on the hallux, causing pain and nail dystrophy/lifting. DaCambra 2014
- First description
- Classically described by Guillaume Dupuytren in 1847. Malkoc 2016
- Epidemiology (patterns useful in clinical practice)
- It is most common in the foot , especially the hallux ; it is less frequent in the hand. DaCambra 2014 , De Berker 1999
- It usually presents in adolescents and young adults , although there are series in other age groups and differences by specialty/diagnostic criteria. Letts 1998 , Pérez-Palma 2018
- ICD codes (indicative)
- Note: In many systems, there is no single code for «subungual exostosis»; it is usually coded as benign bone/cartilage neoplasm or osteochondroma/exostosis of the phalanx, depending on the local subcategory (ICD-10/ICD-11 vary by country/implementation). Confirm with institutional coding.
- Diagnostic checklist (quick)
- History: pain with footwear, duration, trauma/irritation, bleeding/ulceration. DaCambra 2014
- Examination: fixed hard subungual nodule + nail dystrophy/lifting. Russell 2016
- Cabinet: AP/lateral X-ray of the finger. Evison 1966
- Definitive management: complete marginal resection with preservation of matrix/bed when possible + histopathology. Malkoc 2016
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